Sai Baba devotees converge on Puttaparthi, pray for recovery

Puttaparthi (AP): Followers and admirers
from various corners of the country and scores from abroad
have converged on this little town ever since godman Sathya
Sai Baba`s health severed a setback.

With hopes that he will recover as he did in the past,
the devotees are praying that the 85-year-old Baba gets well
soon to bless them.

"I am confident that all these will be over and Baba
will give darshan soon," Sanjeev Singh, a devotee from Uttar
Pradesh said.

"We are all confident that Baba would give us darshan
very soon. It is only outsiders who were worried. We are not,"
said Bittoo Thapa, a devotee from Darjeeling in West Bengal.
Along with the Indian devotees, scores of foreigners
who throng Puttaparthi have also expressed confidence that the
85-year-old Baba would recover speedily and bless the
disciples.

"Baba is god. This is only temporary," Mirek, a
devotee from Poland, said.

His compatriot echoed similar feelings.

Doctors attending on the Baba said he continues to be
on ventilator support though his vital systems are in a stable
condition.
"However, his level of consciousness has considerably
improved. His vital systems are in stable condition. He still
continues to be on assisted ventilation through ventilator and
CRRT, which is a slow dialysis process," a health bulletin
issued by Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences
said.

The hospital, where the Baba was admitted to the
hospital on March 28 following chest and lungs congestion, has
been declared as a sterile zone.

Meanwhile, police have imposed prohibitory orders
under Section 144 Criminal Procedure Code in Putaparthi and
restricted the movement of public transport vehicles like
autos and buses. Shops have downed their shutters at various
places in this town.

Police did not allow assembly of people at the Sri
Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences.

Movement of people and devotees was thin in view of
the restrictions.

The prohibitory orders were imposed as some anxious
crowds allegedly tried to attack the vehicles of district
officials yesterday.